New Blood
by Jem Fukuyama
Summary: this takes place over the course of the Slayer Chronicles 1st 2 books and so on. please read all A/N before reading. Joss McMillian meets a strange girl named Alice Lilibelle, while training in the Catskills, she seems to be very interested in him, but is it for him? Or his Blood?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**This will be my second time making a fanfiction for an actual book. Usually I do anime, manga or tv shows. The only other book I've done is Bedeviled, I love that book. Today however I'm doing The Slayer chronicles, the story of Joss. I like Joss, I think he's adorable—not as adorable as Vlad though, yaknow because he's a vampire. Anyhow as always I put into play an OC that usually stirs things up with the main character. So prepare to meet Alice Lilibelle. Now it's been a while since I read the 1****st**** novel, so bare-with me on the lines. I'm sort of skipping along the story line here. ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!**

Joss sat on the train, waiting for it to take off so he could meet his uncle for slayer training. People were still boarding the plane so it was going to be a little while longer before it actually left the station. As he waited he began to think of what the rest of his slayer training would be like when suddenly he felt someone standing over him. He looked over to see a girl with shoulder length dyed white hair cut into a wedge, she looked to him with bright sapphire blue eyes.

"This seat taken?" She asked, Joss shook his head she smiled. The girl had to be no older than seventeen or eighteen. She wore all black; black tripp jeans and a tanktop with a blue gummy bear hanging by a noose*. She took the seat next to him and smiled.

"First time traveling?" She asked sweetly, her voice was soft and sweet sounding. Joss shrugged.

"Sort of." He mumbled, the girl smiled.

"First time traveling _alone_?" She asked rephrasing the question. This time he nodded.

"Same here, I don't usually travel by myself either. Kind of exciting though isn't it?" She asked, Joss stared. It wasn't very often that random strangers started talking to him, especially ones that appeared to be from a Goth point of view. The girl smiled.

"So what's your name?" She asked, Joss swallowed hard.

"Joss," he said, the girl gave pause tapping her chin with a painted black nail.

"Joss, Joss," She repeated for a little while, "I like it, don't meet very many people with that kind of name, pretty unique."

Joss smiled back this time, his name was unique. Just like he was. Even if he couldn't show off that uniqueness with the general public.

So as the plane took off, Joss got to know the strange girl draped in black. As it turns out they were going in the same direction. So when the train stopped she offered to stick around until someone came to pick him up.

"I'm not really doing anything there other than vacationing in the Catskills. So I'm not in any real hurry." She said, Joss scowled.

"Vacationing?" He asked, she nodded.

"Yup, I like quiet little places like this, plus I'm sort of meeting family here." She said not so happily, "But I can be late."

"Are you sure?" Joss asked, "Cause really I'm fine with just staying here by myself."

"I'm not in any rush to meet with them, they can wait you're still just a kid." She said, "Someone might snatch you up, then what would happen?"

Joss swallowed hard, as they talked previously the girl didn't really come off as a macabre type like most girls dressed like her, but with that statement he found she wasn't really that much different. The girl laughed.

"Relax, I'm kidding." She said, then looked off toward the train as it left. Joss nodded and looked off to see another girl, being chased by someone. He looked to the girl he was with she didn't seem to notice. She stooped to look through her backpack. She then stood.

"I'll be right back ok?" she said, "Try not to get too bored here."

Joss watched as the girl from the train left for a moment, he then decided to go after the girl being chased. He went to stop the strange man that was chasing her when another man named Sirus jumped exposing the creep chasing the girl as a vampire. Sirus then threatened the vampire by telling him that he was up against two slayers and not just one. The vamp then turned tail and ran, and Joss discovered that the girl being chased was Sirus's daughter Kat.

"Did you just get here?" Sirus asked, Joss nodded.

"Perfect." He said, "Well grab your things we're heading up to the house now."

Joss nodded and went to retrieve his suitcase, he looked back to find the girl had yet to return. He felt bad that he had to just leave like that without telling her, but he didn't want to be late and keep his uncle waiting. So he left, hoping that if he saw the girl again that he'd be able to apologize for just leaving.

~0~

It didn't take long for Joss to discover that he wasn't very welcome among his uncle Abraham. His uncle didn't seem to think he was capable for anything like this. The others seemed to be ok with him, and Sirus and Kat had become friends with him, somewhat. He still wasn't used to the attention of girls. Unlike Joss Kat wasn't a slayer, and she didn't know anything of what really went on in the house. What Joss was training for and all. She seemed to be pretty well ignored by everyone. Which was why they had become friends perhaps.

Now he had to stay and watch over the house from the woods, it was a pretty long and boring and he had already been without sleep. So it was getting harder and harder to focus and stay awake. He was just about to nod off when…

_Wake up!_

Joss suddenly awoke and realized that he had been sleeping suddenly he heard something behind him. he turned and looked up to see someone sitting in a tree. The figure looked down at him, it's features unseen from the darkness.

"Relax little lamb, you weren't asleep for long." It said, the voice was soft and smooth, and somewhat familiar. Joss felt like he could trust the figure, though he wasn't sure why.

"Nothing has happened," It said, "Though I can't exactly say that it will stay that way if you fall asleep again. Try not to fall asleep anymore slayer boy."

With that the figure left the tree without being seen by Joss. He stared curiously at the space the figure once occupied. Who was it? And why did he feel so at ease around it?

_Try not to fall asleep again._

Joss grabbed his stake that he had gotten from Dorian before he came and kept it close. As comfortable as he was the figure still gave him a slight shiver of fear up his spine. So he sat the rest of the night awake.

The next morning he and Kat went into town with Sirus. To pick up supplies for the house since Sirus was the caretaker of everyone, Sirus had gone off head of them and told them to pick up whatever they wanted after they'd picked up what was on the list. It had been several days since he had arrived in the Catskills and just as long since that girl he met on the train had left. He began to wonder if he was ever going to see her again. When suddenly something caught his eye, and his ear.

"Joss?" It was the girl from the train. Same as when he'd seen her the first time, short hair white cut into a wedge. She ran up to the duo.

"Hey Joss, what's up? Been a while." She said, Joss nodded silently, "I haven't seen you around town, where've ya been? When I found out you were gone I was a little worried."

"Joss, who is this?" Kat asked, looking to the strange white haired Goth girl, that's when Joss realized he'd never actually gotten her name. he felt bad, he'd never asked for it. The girl smiled.

"Who're you?" She asked back. Kat scowled and introduced herself, "Kat huh? That's a common name isn't it? So's mine, I'm Alice."

"Alice? I've never met anyone with that name." Kat said, the girl—Alice shrugged.

"Where I'm from it's a pretty common placed name." she said.

"Where are you from?" Joss asked, Alice simply smiled.

"Some place far away." She said, just then Sirus caught up to them.

"Sorry for the wait, my errand took longer than I thought…" His voice trailed off when his eyes landed on Alice. She smiled up at him.

"Well I guess that's my cue." She said, "I'll see you two around, see ya."

"Joss, who was that?" Sirus asked, Joss shrugged.

"She's just some girl I met on the train, she said she was vacationing here." He said looking up at Sirus who was watching Alice walk away and disappear down the street.

"That's it?" he asked. Joss nodded, "Good, listen Joss, it'd probably be best if you stayed away from her while you're training."

Joss nodded silently. He was probably right about that.

**My first chapters are always choppy. I've been working on that but it doesn't seem to get any better. But I promise my stories are usually good once we get the ball rolling. So please keep reading. REVIEW PLEASE!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**So I have no idea what people thought of my fiction thus far. I hope you will forgive the choppiness of it in the beginning and read through. I suck at openings, and closings. I'm the Queen of Cliff hangers though. So I hope you'll be happy with my story. I thought this out in the middle—which is why this beginning sucks, but it'll get better. ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!**

Joss sat at the top of the hill tracking with Malek for animals in the forest, though right now he was trying to track Malek instead. He was good at keeping his tracks hidden and leave no trace—to be expected from a tracker himself then again. Joss let out a huff of frustration when he heard something, it sounded like song bird. He began to follow it, maybe it was Malek trying to screw with him.

_*Ding dong hurry up I'm starving  
Waiting for you here,I know that you are  
Here so come out, staring through the window.  
No escape from my cold gaze…_

As he followed it the song bird turned out to be an actual song, and a human was singing it. Joss followed the song, once again the voice sounded soft and comforting. It grew louder with every step, then it just suddenly stopped. Joss scowled, it must have been Malek trying to mess with him. He went and turned to leave when suddenly something swooped down. Joss let out a yelp of surprise as Alice hung upside down from a tree.

"Well hey there Joss, what are you doing up here?" She asked, Joss stared. That sounded like a question he should have been asking her.

"I should ask you the same thing." He said, Alice crossed her arms as she hung by her legs.

"Same as you tracking." She said with a grin. Joss scowled, how did she know he was tracking? He shook it off.

"Was that you singing?" he asked, Alice shrugged.

"Maybe, why did you like it?" she asked. Joss scowled. He did but he wasn't going to tell her that. She looked like the type who'd tease him. Just then Joss remembered Sirus' warning to try and keep a distance from people outside training.

"Listen I'm really busy right now," He said. Alice scowled.

"Avoiding me?" She asked matter-o-factly as Joss walked past. Joss shook his head.

"No I'm really busy." He said, Alice swung herself right side up on the tree branch she was sitting on.

"Doing what?"

"Stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" Alice prodded, Joss scowled. Alice was nosey, and the nosier she got the more danger she was going to be in and so was he.

"Alice! I don't have time right now." He growled. Alice scowled and jumped down from the tree right in front of him. Joss stared at for a moment he could have sworn he saw her eyes flash.

"Listen up Joss McMillan," She said with a slight hiss, "In case you haven't noticed this place is dangerous. There are things out here that really want to kill you."

Joss stared, boy if she only knew. Alice then began to search his face before she took a step back from him. She then smiled kindly.

"Sorry about that, temper got the better of me." She said, "Anyhow be careful little lamb."

Alice then turned to leave, when something suddenly clicked in Joss' mind. How did she know his last name? He didn't remember telling her. Then there was something else, she called him 'little lamb' a few nights before something called him that in the dark.

"What are you?" He asked boldly staring at the back at Alice's head as she paused. She looked back at him.

"What kind of question is that?" she asked, Joss glared.

"I never told you my last name." he said. Alice scowled.

"Yes you did, on the train here; you mentioned it to me earlier." She said, turning all the way around to look at him, "What's with the sudden jumpiness?"

"A few nights ago I was out here, I fell asleep," Joss began, "A voice woke me up, it called me what you did just now. What are you?"

Alice pursed her lips before letting out a sigh, "Do you really want to know the answer to that? Ignorance is bliss you know?"

"Stop stalling!" Joss shouted, reaching for his steak only to find it wasn't there.

"You're not very threatening Joss," Alice said holding up his one and only weapon, "Even with this in your hand, you're still only in training Slayer boy."

"You're a vampire!" he shouted, Alice nodded.

"I am," She said, "But I'm not going to hurt you."

"Liar!" Joss shouted, he knew what vampires were capable of. They stole lives from people. Killing innocent people, defenseless little girls included. Alice scowled at him.

"Listen to me Joss," She said softly, "I don't want to hurt you. If I did I'd have done so by now. Don't you think?"

"I don't believe you, you lied to me!" He shouted, Alice scowled.

"I never said I wasn't a vampire did I?" She asked, "With so many people like your uncle after us do you think we'd go about hanging neon signs in our yards. Besides you didn't tell me you were a slayer."

"That different. I thought you were a human." Joss growled, Alice smiled.

"And I was at one point." She said, then looked to Joss and sighed, she walked up to him and grabbed his hand, placing the stake in his hand, she then pressed the tip of the stake to her chest. She then looked Joss in the eyes and said softly, "If you really think I mean to hurt you, then do it, kill me. I'll be happy to be your first."

Joss glared the last part of that was some kind of perverted joke. He could tell by her tone of voice. It was flirtatious and a bit mocking. Joss grumbled but for some reason he decided not to kill her, and pocketed the stake.

"That's better." Alice said releasing a breath she had been holding. Had she really been scared just them? Alice then smiled, "Yaknow junior slayers aren't supposed to be carrying those around."

"I was given it before I came here." Joss snapped, alice scowled.

"Oh what's with the harsh tone all of a sudden?" She asked, Joss glared ,"Yeah, yeah I didn't tell you I was a vampire, but do you go about telling everyone you know you're a vampire slayer?"

Joss was silent.

"Didn't think so, you want to keep the people you hold dear safe, and so do I." Alice said crossing her arms. Joss rolled his eyes.

"What do you want anyway?" he asked. Alice beamed.

"To help." She said. Joss shook his head and began walking past her.

"No thanks. I don't need help from some blood sucker like you." He said, Alice growled and was soon in front of him again.

"Listen punk!" she growled then cleared her throat and her voice became soft again but still remained stern, "Your slayer buddies aren't going to be able to prepare you the way you need to be prepared. Which is why I'm here to help you."

"Why do you want to help a slayer? You're a vampire. Doesn't this go against your weird code?" Joss asked.

"I never liked the Elysian world." She said, "I don't like vampires much either."

"Like I believe that." Joss mumbled. Alice glared.

"Not all of us get to choose this life yaknow." She hissed, "Some of us would rather be dead than live this way."

"Then why don't you go out in the sun?" Joss hissed back. Alice made a face like she had been hurt but then regained herself and smiled.

"Self annihilation isn't my style." She said, "Anyway…"

Alice's cut herself short as she looked about the woods her smile slipped into a cautious scowl. When her eyes fell back on Joss—who was both irritated and confused—she smiled.

"Time for me to go." She said, jumping back into the tree above them, Joss looked up as she looked down at him, "If you watch the place tonight, don't fall asleep."

Joss scowled as she climbed higher into the tree, but not without calling back to him "Until next time little lamb."

Joss huffed, now he was going to be in trouble for not finding Malek in time. That was just great, at least if he had killed the vampire he'd have an excuse. Then again he could tell the others about Alice, there was no way she didn't want to kill them. He huffed.

"Whatever." He mumbled then went back to finding Malek.

~0~

That night, Joss had gotten in trouble with his uncle Abraham again, and sure enough there he was on the hilltop watching the house. It was late into the night and he was beginning to nod off again, when something fell onto his nose. He scowled and noticed it was a flower petal, he looked up.

"Want to play a game?" Alice asked, plucking the petals off of a white daisy. Joss scowled it was like the ones in his nightmares about Cecile. The ones that made him feel terrified of his once beloved little sister.

"If you keep dwelling on things like that they'll never go away." Alice said smoothly as she leaned against the tree and plucked another petal. She then looked down at Joss with a serious tone.

"What are you talking about?" He growled. Alice smiled revealing white glistening fangs, Joss stood and took a step back.

"Vampires carry lots of tricks up their sleeves Jossie." She said jumping down next to him. Joss scowled.

"Don't ever call me that." He growled. Alice nodded.

"Right sorry, and sorry for intruding on your thoughts." She said, Joss scowled, she was inside his mind? Alice nodded as if he had verbally asked the question.

"Like I said we have lots of tricks." She said, "So want to play a game? It'll keep you awake."

"No, I don't want to play a game with a vampire. I should have kill you, I got into trouble because of you." Joss muttered. Alice frowned as she sat down on the dirt below them.

"Ah right, sorry about that." She said, "Abraham's not the nicest person in the world. I know that for a fact."

"What?" Joss asked, Alice smirked.

"He's killed lots of vampires before," She said leaning against the tree behind them and placing her arms behind her head, "He's pretty well known amongst the vampires of Elysia."

Joss smirked, that was pretty cool.

"He's got a horrible rep for killing us indiscriminately." Alice went on, "A lot of brothers and sisters died because of him. You on the other hand, Little lamb, aren't nearly as unlucky."

"Unlucky?" Joss repeated, he was pretty sure being well known amongst vampires as a killer was a good thing. They'd take him seriously.

"It's not a good thing," Alice said, "Now there are those who will seek him out and try for fame and glory by brining Abraham's head to the elder vampire."

"Even you?" Joss asked, Alice paused and looked to him the light of the moon shining off her bright sapphire blue eyes, and pale tanned skin. She looked at Joss for a long time before speaking again.

"I won't lie, it certainly would make my life easier with Abraham McMillan gone." She said with an even tone. Joss tensed, as he reached for his stake. Maybe she was just trying to lead him into a false sense of security and was planning to use him as bait for his uncle.

"But I don't like conflict." Alice finished, "Plus as strong as I am, I don't think I'd be much of a match for him."

Joss didn't relax.

"So instead I'll just stick to hiding." She said, then noticed Joss' stake and sat up, "I don't expect you to trust me Joss. Not right away anyhow. I hope soon you will though Joss. I promise you I have no intention of hurting you."

"Why?" Joss asked.

"Why not?" Alice asked back, "Neither of us have a reason to hurt each other, I've not attacked you and you've not scorned me, I plan to keep it that way."

Joss scowled, why was he being so comfortable with a girl who was probably planning to drain him and leave him there for his uncle to find him? Just because she acted nice didn't really mean she was. Vampires were wolves in sheep's clothing, luring people into thinking they were ok, then snapping their fangs into their necks. They were evil, none of them should be allowed to live. So why was he letting his guard down around this one? Alice yawned.

"Man this is really boring when there's nothing coming after you huh?" She asked. Joss was silent, Alice sighed, "How bout I give you a few tips on vampire killing?"

"No thank you." He said. Alice sighed.

"If you say so." She said then stood, "If you're not going to try neither am I, see you around little lamb."

Joss watched silently as Alice once again disappeared through the trees. It wasn't long after words that he fell asleep.

**Ok so that's my second chapter. It's hard to follow a book I haven't read in a while. Sorry about that. . it sucks. But please review. Otherwise I don't think I'll be able to write another book fiction. REVIEW PLEASE!  
(*) the song being sung in this chapter is called Hide and seek, by SeeU, it was English dubbed by Juby Phonic P. look it up n_n **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Ok so I'm kind of blurry on the first book, so I'd thank anyone who'd help me remember, it's very off since I remember anything I read. Anyhow so what do you guys think of my OC? No one's review but some people have viewed it. Which makes me happy all the same. Haha. ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD**

Joss was awoke with a start. He had another nightmare about Cecile. He sighed as the warmth of sunlight hit his face. Suddenly his heart froze, he had fallen asleep! Oh god, he wasn't supposed to fall asleep. He was supposed to watch the house. Abraham was going to kill him.

"Oh my, now you've done it." Alice's voice said above him. Joss looked up with fear, she looked down at him returning his fear with concern. She shook her head and soon she disappeared, Joss wasted no time, he stood and ran through the clearing. Despite everything, pacing, swearing to not even doze off he had fallen asleep and now it was morning.

Sun filtered through the trees above. The clearing was alive with the energy of daytime….and empty, but for Joss, and Malek's unused tent.

Joss moved quickly, searching the clearing with his eyes, then physically walking it until it was clear that Malek wasn't there. Then he moved outside the circle searching carefully, all the while wondering if Malek had returned to the house to tell Abraham of his failure. Or worse. Maybe the Slayers had left him there in the mountains alone. He turned toward the trail that led down the mountain and just as he was about to start his descent, he noticed something on the trial.

Something moist. Something red.

Joss slowed his steps but still moved forward as if naturally drawn to the substance on the ground. He crouched beside it, disbelief filling him until he felt as though he couldn't breathe. As he stretch out his hand to touch it a voice in the back of his mind screamed at him not to, but still he did. The ground was moist. Moist with blood.

It smelled metallic, and slightly rotten.

Joss froze, was this Malek's blood? He jerked his hand back from the spilled blood, shaking them free of the substance. His eyes never left the red smears and pools. No, maybe it was the blood of a vampire Malek had taken out while he was snoozing. He hoped for the latter. Though he couldn't be sure until he saw a body. He also couldn't shake the urge to follow the trial and confirm that it wasn't just simply animal blood.

Standing, he traced the blood trial into the undergrowth, over a fallen tree trunk, and behind a large bolder…where he encountered and arm. Joss froze, terrified, his raced with fear.

The arm was pale, and looked as though it had been ripped from the torso it belonged to. It wasn't attached to a body—not anymore—and there was no sign of the body anywhere. At first he didn't see any sign of the owner of the arm. That is until he saw a familiar sight of white hair standing near a clump of bushes. Alice looked back at him, and shook her head she then walked off. And soon Joss knew why she gave him a look. A scream that he wasn't sure any sound ripped through every cell of his body with fear.

Malek's head was lying in the bushes Alice had previously stood near. It's dead eyes staring wide and right at Joss.

Strong hands shook him from his maybe-silent scream, "What happened? My god, man, what happened to Malek?!"

It was ash, the slayer with a kind smile. Only this time he wasn't smiling. Joss shook his head, his eyes locked on the gruesome scene. "I…I fell asleep."

~0~

Three days later, Joss's back still stung like crazy. After what had happened to Malek the only way to finish his purification was to be whipped for what seemed like hours. Sirus had told him that he'd been out for three days, Joss shook his head. He didn't remember passing out. He felt horrible for what happened to Malek, but Sirus said he probably had seen the threat before he could alert Joss. Sirus was kind, but Joss didn't feel like he needed kindness. So he sat in the room he was supposed to be sleeping in at the cabin, not sure what he was supposed to do. When he heard a tapping sound on the glass window. Joss scowled and went to the window, sort of expecting Kat, but what he saw instead was the white haired vampire Alice. The vampire that revealed herself to him four or five days ago. Joss glared.

"You killed Malek." He growled opening the window. Alice's eyes widened then she scowled.

"I did no such thing." She said in a slight shout of a whisper, then she willed herself to the window, which was on the second floor, "If I did I certainly wouldn't be here now would I?"

Joss glared, she had a point, but something did kill Malek, and it was more than likely a vampire. And since Alice was the only one he was aware of in the Catskills, she was definitely a suspect. Alice sighed.

"You Slayers think much of the dead, burying that poor man in the woods like that." She said, Joss glared, "Not an insult. My kind don't bury their dead."

"Why are you here?" Joss growled. Alice crossed her arms.

"I'm checking on my favorite little slayer boy—that's what." she snapped back, "Show a bit of gratitude would ya?"

"Gratitude toward a vampire? I'll pass." He hissed, Alice gave a look as though she were insulted by his words, a low growl escaped her throat.

"I told you I wouldn't be able to save your sorry butt if you fell asleep. I even offered to help you stay awake. Don't blame me for what happened, there are other vampires here in the Catskills, and I'm not part of theirs!" She growled, her fangs elongating from anger. Joss took a step back only to wince from the pain of his back, suddenly Alice's eyes softened and she willed herself inside the window.

"Look I didn't come here to fight you." She said sitting on the window sill, "Trust me the last thing I want is conflict with a group of highly skilled vamp-killers, and their adorable little rookie."

Joss scowled, not at all happy about being called a rookie, and even more insulted that this monster in human clothing called him adorable. Then a thought came to his mind.

"How are you able to come in without being invited?" He asked, Alice gave a slight smirk.

"A cabin that's abandoned most of the year doesn't really need invited into now does it?" she asked, "I've been in and out of this cabin a lot in the past years or so."

"That doesn't help your case." Joss said, Alice shrugged.

"No, but at the moment let's push that out of our minds kay lamb?" she asked, "How is your back?"

Joss scowled how did she know about the pain in his back.

"Poor kid, Abraham didn't hold back at all did he?" She asked leaning to the side so she could get a decent view of his back, she must of noticed Joss' confused look because she smiled kindly and explained, "I could hear your screams of pain all the way in town. I'm sorry Joss, but I couldn't help you this time.

"And after what happened to your tracking friend, I needed to keep my distance." She continued, "And I wish I could stay longer but I can't."

Joss wanted to ask why but thought better of it, Alice then turned to exit the room.

"My offer still stand you know, I can really help you find the one that killed him." She said, "Kids like you don't need to get themselves killed because you're up against a vampire who could very well be ten times your age."

With that she dropped from the window, Joss watched as Alice then scrambled to the edge of the woods and disappeared. Joss then heard footsteps heading toward his door, it soon revealed to be Sirus, the one who cared for Joss' injuries.

"There's supper downstairs, we've been feeding you nothing but soup till now, but I bet you'll want something with more substance." He said. Joss' stomach rumbled agreeing to Sirus' comment. Though he didn't feel he deserved anything like that after he let Malek get killed by what could have very well have been Alice. However he nodded silently and followed Sirus downstairs.

_(Ok I'm going to skip ahead a bit—since I'm still a little fuzzy on the contents on First kill, up until this point in the chapter I had been referring from the book. So if you haven't read the book, this is going to be a bit of a spoiler. Sorry._)

It was the end of Joss's training, he hadn't seen Alice since his whipping, he figured that she must have been the one to kill Malek and Chazz and fled. Joss huffed. He figured as much, he should have tried to stake her when he had the chance, but without a stake that probably would have been pretty hard, especially since she seemed to be bit more experienced with Slayers than he was with vampires.

As Joss finished packing the last of his belongings, he couldn't help but think that he was going to miss everything. Sirus and Kat especially, maybe he should say goodbye, after all he wasn't sure if he'd ever see either of them again. It may have been a sign of weakness but Joss promised himself he'd work on that later. After he said goodbye. So he went back downstairs and headed for the house Sirus and Kat lived in across the yard.

He pulled open the door and stepped inside the house. As he did a strange feeling of sadness washed over him. He felt like he was mourning a friend, not just saying goodbye and he couldn't exactly put his finger on why. As he moved through the house he remembered all the memories he and the two shared in the house. The kitchen more than anything reminded him of Sirus. The smell of cooking and sight of clean dishes being put away. Sirus was the caretaker, and he was good at his Job.

Joss Leaned over the counter and then cursed when he realized that he had somehow gotten spaghetti sauce on his shirt. Sirus must have been cooking before he disappeared with Kat—wherever they may be—and gotten some on the counter without realizing it. Joss moved through the cabin to the bathroom , rinsing off his shirt and ringing it dry hoping it wouldn't stain.

Suddenly he got a thought that there might be something in the cabnit that might be able to help the stain. He stooped to open the doors and to his surpise, there were several rows of sunscreen, at least six different types. He scowled, that was a lot of sunblock. Joss shrugged, maybe he had it there for the slayers during the summer. Though despite the thought there was still an uncomfortable stillness in his mind, something that told him that this wasn't right.

He shook his head, there was nothing strange about it. Sirus was caretaker there was nothing wrong with a bunch of sunscreen. Was there? What was he thinking? Of course there wasn't. there was no way Sirus could be a V-word. He couldn't even use the word in his mind. He looked to the stubborn stain, and walked back to the kitchen as he did he couldn't help but notice the small smear on the counter to the refrigerator. Joss' heart froze, never in his entire life had he wanted to see spaghetti leftovers so badly. However when he opened the door, it was empty. Safe for one small item.

A plastic bag with a biohazard sticker on it. Inside was a red liquid. Joss gulped, there in his hand was a bag, a bag of blood.

No, it was just a coincidence. Sirus was caretaker after all, maybe he kept it in case something happened, and they couldn't get to a hospital.

"Do you really believe that?" A familiar voice said behind him. Joss glared as he turned to see Alice standing her arms crossed and she was staring down at him with her deep sapphire blue eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he growled, Alice closed her eyes.

"Sadly I'm clearing my own name, and exposing another." She said, "I don't like having to do that Joss, but you've forced my hand."

"Get out!" Joss shouted, Alice stared for a while not moving. For a long time she stood there, Joss debated finding something to fight with, but the thought was soon forcibly pushed out of his mind. Finally Alice put up her hands in frustration.

"Fine, I'm going. Happy?" She asked, turning her back to him, "But you know you'll see me, I have to go home too you know."

"OUT!" Joss shouted and soon Alice disappeared once again. Joss swallowed hard, Alice was wrong. She had to be lying, the hospital was too far away. That's why he had the blood, but then why only one bag?...and there was so much sunscreen. Panic soon took over Joss' mind, and he dropped the bag on the floor, but the plastic held.

Sirus was a vampire, just like Alice, Sirus was lying to him the entire time. Now he knew why he had suddenly disappeared. The slayers were getting to close to finding out—they had to be, so that's why he had killed Chazz and Malek.

A sudden scream broke him from his fear and panic. It came from the clearing. Instinctively Joss bolted out the door and toward the clearing and only stopped when he saw Sirus and his uncle Abraham. Abraham's leg had been broken in an awkward angle. Joss swallowed hard and ran to them, all the while the thought that Sirus was a vampire slowly was being pushed to the back darkest parts of his mind. Sirus knelt over him Abraham covering his mouth.

"Shut up, Abraham! Just shut up. Let me think!" Sirus growled. Joss knelt down and stretched out his hands to grasp the stake in his hand. It was heavier than he expected, Joss blamed the silver that snaked around the wood coming together at the tip. Then he looked at Sirus and said—in a tone that seemed to calm and determined, in a voice he barely recognized as his own, "What's there to think about, Sirus?"

Sirus stiffened at first. Then sighed heavily his shoulders sinking some.

"Joss. Of all of them it would have to be you wouldn't it?" he said. Joss waited, getting a feel for the weapon in his hand. He knew what he would have to do, and reminded himself that is was Sirus who brought him to this. It was Sirus who was forcing his hand.

Then Sirus lifted his finger to his lips and gave Abraham a pointed not, telling him to hush. He stood slowly and turned on a heel to face Joss . His friend.

"This isn't what it looks like. It's not what it seems. So think about that before you stab me with that thing. And force yourself to live with a regret you may not recover from." He said calmly.

Joss gripped the stake, comfortable with its weight now. He turned it over in his hand and held Sirus's gaze. "Are you a vampire."

Sirus's eyes filled with sorrow, "I'm not your enemy, Joss. Please. Put the stake down."

"Did you kill Malek and Chazz?" He asked, he needed answers and a voice inside his head told him that he wouldn't be getting any straight ones from him.

"No. I swear to you that I didn't." Sirus held his hands out in a pleading gesture, "Joss, you know me. Do I look like a killer?"

In all honesty he didn't, and neither did Alice, neither of the two vampires he had known looked like killers. But joss just couldn't shake the image of the sunblock—enough for hundreds of people not to mention the blood. But this was Sirus. His confidant. His friend. He relaxed his grip on the stake some and shook his head, "I'm a little confused."

Abraham lay there quietly, his eyes squeezing tight. He was in intense pain and doing all he he could to remain conscious. Sirus sighed and shook his head slowly, looking pained.

"I was bitten three years ago. And though I resisted I was sent here time and time again to spy on the slayer society. This was supposed to be my last Catskills mission."

Suddenly Joss knew exactly what happened to Sirus, he wasn't a vampire—he was a drudge, a human bitten by a vampire to be their slave. Joss remembered reading it in the slayer manual. Sirus was a drudge, that explained the blood, and the sunscreen. He had to keep that for his vampire master, a master he assumed was Alice. She had been pretty quick to throw him into his plan of view, so why not? Then again it could have also been Zy.

"It was never my intention to hurt you or the others Joss." Sirus said, "I swear I had not choice."

The truth rang through every word he spoke. Joss lowered his stake, not exactly know what to do and only knowing that he couldn't ever harm a friend. Not completely to his surprise, Sirus took off for the woods. Probably to warn his master. Joss moved over to his uncle who had gone unconscious from the pain.

"Better call an ambulance." Alice's voice said. Joss looked over the White haired Goth as she stood her arms crossed, "You don't really believe all that drudge crap do you?"

"Admit is Alice you bit him didn't you?" joss shouted, Alice looked to Joss with a slight glare.

"That hurts Joss." She said then turned, "Just hurry up and call an ambulance. Before Abraham goes into shock."

With that she disappeared once again back into the woods, and suddenly Abraham's eyes opened wide, the intensity of the pain all over his face. He reached up and grabbed Joss by the shirt. "Go after him, Joss. Don't stop until he's dead."

"Uncle Abraham it's not Sirus's fault. He's a drudge. We have to figure out a way to help him." Joss said.

"Help him!?" Abraham trembled violdnetly as his body slipped into a state of shock. "Don't help him, Joss. He's a vampire! I saw his…his…"

Abraham then collapsted into an unconscious state before he could 's heart sank, he didn't need to hear the final word to know, that Alice was right. Abraham had seen it, Sirus was a vampire.

**Ok after a while I reffered back to the book, after this chapter I'm gonna skip a head a bit. So that I don't spoil anymore for those who haven't read it. Sorry about that perhaps I should have wrote that in the description. Please don't be angry with me, REVIEW! Please?**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Like I said I'm skipping a lot in the book, so I won't give away too many spoilers. I gave away one huge spoiler sorry about that. I'll be going to change my description in a bit. So we'll just go to something that has no part in the book—so fare anyway. ONWARD TO THE BATTLE FIELD!**

Joss sighed lying down on his bed; he was back at his house. Back to being the invisible boy that his parents paid no mind to. Over the summer he had spent his time in Bathory, with his cousin. It was there he discovered that who he thought was his friend was yet another vampire. Just like Sirus. Joss groaned, knowing that even his cousin, Henry, someone he trusted was now a slave to the vampire Vlad.

Suddenly his thoughts went to Alice, the vampire that he had met in the Catskills. She had told him that she would be seeing him again when he left by the same train. However when it came time to leave, she had been nowhere in sight. Had she ridden a different train? Maybe she had been caught in the explosion, or maybe Abraham had found her near the Cabin and had staked her. Whatever the reason she had been nowhere to be seen when he left.

Joss then remembered something, something he had been hoping would never come. Tomorrow was his first day back to school. Joss groaned again, not at all wanting to go through that again. Fighting vampires might be a tricky situation, but facing the bullies and teachers of school was a whole other scarier one.

~0~

The next morning Joss awoke for the first day of school on his own. The house was silent, and sadly, he kind of enjoyed it. His parents were still in bed, which meant he didn't have to see his still grieving mother, and he didn't have to hear his angry father's voice growling at him foe something he did or didn't do.

Joss was soon dressed, and left the house, not stopping until he was at the school he attended. At least here, there were no vampires that would try to make a meal out of him, or try to trick him into befriending them….or so he thought.

As Joss made his way up the stairs to the entrance he heard the sound of an upper classman messing with the underclassmen. The guy sounded big, and Joss hopped that he wouldn't be unfortunate enough to ever run into him. Joss then entered the school building. It was his first day of high school, and like many freshmen before him he was completely overwhelmed by the amount of students, and the fact that, since he was a freshman; he'd be the target of a lot of hazing by the older boys.

Joss gulped, he was starting to miss Slayer training.

"Hello Little lamb." A soft voice said behind him. Joss's eyes suddenly went wide. Only one person in the entire world called him that. He turned and what he saw confirmed his suspicions. There before him stood Alice Lilibelle. The vampire who he had met in the Catskills, and the one who had told him about Sirus.

"Vampire…" He said in a low growl. Alice crossed her arms, her painted red lips pushed out in a slight pout.

"My name is Alice, say it with me now; Ah-liss." She said then smirked, "Been a while. Hasn't it Slayer boy?"

"What are you doing here?" Joss growled. Alice narrowed her eyes as her lips curled back in a sly grin.

"Oh Joss isn't that obvious?" She asked, "I'm checking out the fresh blood I plan on dining on tonight."

Joss glared, and took a step back. Alice laughed, "Honestly boy, you take things too serious. Learn to laugh, you might be a slayer, but you're still a kid."

"If you even _think_ about—"

"I don't drink from the source Joss." She snapped, "I haven't since I turned."

Joss glared not sure he believed the girl. After all she was one of them, she was the enemy. Like Sirus, and like the monster that took his sister from him. Alice put her hands up in defense.

"Stake me here and now if you think I'm lying Joss." She said, "Course that would also expose what you are."

"What are you doing here really?" Joss asked, ignoring her comment. That was the second time she offered herself to the stake. Did this girl have a death wish? Alice shrugged.

"Stalking you," She said walking ahead of him, Joss followed. He wasn't about to let some vampire—albeit a strange one—run loose among the halls of unsuspecting teens, "that's another joke Joss. I'm here because I want to be. I like towns like these, high schools are fun. I can be whoever, and whatever I want."

"I mean it Alice, I will stake you if you try anything." Joss said. Alice nodded.

"And I wouldn't blame you, after all, vampires are monsters who all need irradiated from the world of mortals. Right?" She asked looking over her shoulder to him. Joss scowled, that was a line from some vampire movie, a real cheesy one.

"Do you ever take anything serious?" He asked, Alice stopped.

"I do, but when I'm dealing with you little lamb," she said turning around and pinching his cheeks between her thumbs and for fingers, "I can't help but mess with you."

Joss groaned as she released his face, and he was able to rub the now sore spots on either side of his face. "Alice, if my uncle finds out you're here, I'm going to get in trouble."

"Abraham will ever find out." Alice said, "He stilled hasn't figured out that I was in the Catskills, even when I was standing over him in that clearing."

"You were with him?" Joss shouted, Alice nodded.

"Of course he probably thought he was seeing things, that leg was seriously broken. Sirus did one heck of a job on him." She said, "but enough of that, we've both got class to attend don't we?"

Joss went to open his mouth to say something however his phone vibrated with a text message, it was from Kat. Sirus's daughter. She had been texting him now and then ever since the Catskills. She was angry with him, angry about what had happened. It read true within every message she sent to him. Joss never answered them. He only read them. Soon he pocketed the phone and looked back to Alice who stood waiting for him to finish.

"I realize I'm not human anymore, but unlike me being polite isn't dead yet." She said, referring to the phone. Wait she was giving him a lecture? What the heck!?

"So I heard you took a private job." She said suddenly. "Slayers don't like that you know, especially when you take them from other vampires."

Joss rolled his eyes, he wasn't about to let her plant seeds of doubt in his mind, "I'll have it done and over with before anyone ever knows."

"You take the Slayer much too lightly little lamb." She said, "They always know. Believe me, and trust me when I tell you you'd better leave this job of yours alone before you get hurt."

"Whatever, just keep your fangs to yourself and I won't stake you." Joss said shrugging her off as he walked past her, Alice stood for a moment, then turned to him.

"Even if I gave you reason to, I am much stronger, and much experienced than you rookie." She said plainly, Joss looked back to say something but she had gone. Joss cursed under his breath. Alice was annoying, why was she following him anyway. He shook his head, he'd figure that out later, now he just had to focus on his home room.

~0~

As the day progressed, Joss had already met his teachers, saw a few old friends, and made at least three new enemies with the upper classmen. Oh what fresh new hades this was. At least not it was lunch, that meant that the day was almost over. It also meant he'd be going home back to being the invisible boy of the house. The feeling depressed him.

"Oh Jossie-boy!" a voice sang behind him, Joss scowled, it was Alice. Once again she was bothering him, she was in several of his classes, and while she left him alone then. The lunch room was free game. She came up behind him and grinned.

"What do you want?" He grumbled.

"To eat lunch with you." she said bluntly, "So come on, this is an open campus right? Let's go outside."

"In the sun?" Joss asked.

"I've got sunblock." Alice said, "Come on already, let's get to know each other."

"Get to know a vampire? I think I'll pass." He said, Alice frowned.

"We're not all bad." She said then dragged him out of the cafeteria, "I promise you, I won't bite you, unless you like it that way."

Another perverted joke. Joss didn't like her making jokes at his expense, but there wasn't really much he could do with Alice's vampire strength clamped down on him and her dragging him outside. There were a lot of other students outside eating at the park benches and tables. Alice managed to drag him all the way outside until they made it to a tree that had the ground perfectly shaded. He looked to Alice who smiled up at the tree.

"I love summer, it's gonna suck when it starts getting cold!" she said, then sat down under the tree and patted the spot next to her. Joss stood there not moving for a long time.

"I'm not going anywhere Joss, best you get to know me." Alice said matter-o-factly. Joss scowled, but sat down next to her.

"Why are you so interested in getting to know me. Doesn't knowing a Slayer kinda go against your vampire code?" He asked. Alice pulled out a metal lunchbox. It was in the shape of a black coffin, inside held what Joss assumed was her lunch.

"Like I said in the Catskill I've never been a big fan of the Elysian way." She said, pulling out a sandwhich and taking a bite. Joss watched as the vampire before him ate what looked like a normal human lunch. But no doubt was blood covered. The idea of it made him sick. "Slayers don't scare me, well, you don't anyway. Abraham does."

Joss nodded. His uncle scared him too. He never knew if he was angry or not, usually he was. However there were moments, like in the Catskills he showed compassion for Joss.

"So how's your back?" Alice asked suddenly, Joss's eyes shifted to the ground. She was referring to the slashes that were now scars on his back. He had gotten them after Malek had been killed. They never really discovered who killed him. whether it was Sirus or one of the other vampires in that hive.

"It's fine." He mumbled. Alice smiled.

"Good, I'm sorry you had to endure such a horrible experience." She said sweetly.

"Alice," Joss mumbled, "Why are you so interested in getting to know me?"

"I like you Joss, you're still young and a lot head of you. you're also not like the other Slayers." Alice explained taking another bite out of her sandwich, "The others would have attempted to staked me the moment they saw my fangs. Even if they did know me. You didn't Joss, I appreciate that."

"It was only because I didn't have a stake." Joss said, Alice laughed.

"But you did have a stake, you even brandished it in front of me." She said, "Remember I stole it from you."

Joss paled, she was right. She did. Joss grumbled.

"Anyhow, That's only one reason I've decided to reach out to you." She said finishing her sandwich and then pulled out a small red velvet looking cupcake with pink icing. "But we'll keep that to ourselves."

"We?"

"I will keep that to myself." She said, then caught Joss staring at her cupcake. She held it up to him. "It's not blood, it's really just red velvet."

Joss scowled, "You eat regular food?"

"Yup, I very much enjoy the taste of sugar. Strawberry and chocolate in particularly." She said, "I don't eat blood on campus."

"Oh?"

"It's too much of a hassle, some punk decides he wants to lift my lunchbox, they could find out I have a blood capsule inside." She said, "And after last time I don't think I'm ever going to try that one ever again."

"Last time?" Joss asked, Alice nodded.

"Yeah, it was a long time ago, an upper classman decided she'd steal my lunch, boy was she in for a surprise when she bit into the blood capsule hiding between the ham and cheese." She explained, "The look on her face was priceless, the looks everyone gave me after words, were not."

"That sucks." Joss mumbled.

"More than you'll ever know." Alice said, "But like I said that was a long time ago. That girl has forgotten my face by now."

"How do you know?" Joss asked. Alice didn't answer that question, instead she licked the pink icing off her cupcake and smiled.

"Anyway that's why I don't drink blood on campus, or in public." She said, "So enough about me, what about you?"

"What about me?" Joss asked, Alice smirked.

"Why haven't you staked me for one." She asked, "You've had two chances one of which I gave you. what's stopped you?"

Joss paused, he didn't know the answer to that. He should have when he found out, he definitely should have tried when she put the stake to her chest. So why hadn't he?

"You don't seem to know that answer either." She said, "Maybe that's a good thing, as much as I don't like living this way I'd rather not die anytime soon."

Joss nodded, figuring he understood that much.

"Why'd you become a vampire if you didn't want to be?" He asked Alice stood.

"Next time Joss," She said, "Right now I think we'd better get inside, before principle dude comes after us."

"Alice," Joss said, standing and following after her, Alice paused and looked back, "You're a strange vampire."

"No Joss, I'm a strange person." She said sweetly.

**4****th**** chapter, I have no idea what you people think of these. I feel like I'm unloved, so unloved! Haha please review T^T I need to know how I'm doing. I know the 1****st**** three chappies sucked that much is sadly true. See ya!**


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